Riders to Remember....Bruce Penhall
By Tracy Holmes

Bruce Penhall

I first saw Bruce at Templeton here in Christchurch when he toured NZ with the Mauger/Briggs travelling circus in '77, his wheelie competitions with Zenon Plech were outstanding. The way he kept up with the World Champion Peter Collins and Mauger himself was also hugely impressive.

A couple of years later, he arrived unannounced and made Larry Ross really sing for his supper. Borrowing a bike from Patrick Pawson, which stopped a couple of times, his wheel to wheel dices with Larry were a rear treat and a wow factor 10 for us locals.

Another couple of years later, he was back as World Champion. And thankfully it wasn't for exhibition races. Kenny Carter wasn't here for a holiday and he was hell bent on winning the meeting, which he did with his partner Craig Pendlebury. The World Pairs Champions, Penhall and Bobby Schwartz were second after Schwartz beat Larry Ross in a titanic battle that went to a photo finish. So Ross and Ivan Mauger were third. While Bruce wasn't going to get into a scrap with Carter, neither did they give anything away. Templeton sure got its money's worth. And from entertainers like Penhall, I didn't expect anything less.

One of his most outstanding performances, well before his World Title was at the '79 World Pairs Final, 22 June, Vojens, Denmark. He had qualified with Kelly Moran who was now injured and unable to ride. Then, Steve Gresham was stranded at Heathrow by a strike and Bruce represented the USA all by himself. This brought out the best in him and from his 6 races, he won 4 with two 3rd places. In those races, he was beaten only by the Gold Medalists Denmark; Sir Ole Olsen/Hans Nielsen and the Silver Medalists England; Malcolm Simmons/Mike Lee.

The scorechart read Denmark 25, England 24, Poland 20, Australia 19, USA 14, NZ 12 and Finland 7. This was a massive, single handed effort and one all but ignored in certain books and doco's of the time. But it was equally a massive wake-up call to any that may have doubted Bruces 'true grit'.

Of course, he also won the 'Master of Speedway' series that year. For some super-stars, this event wasn't anything but 'paid practice' but for Bruce, it was a major stepping stone in his quest for the Big one. As the 'starshine' of Ivan Mauger and Ole Olsen began to fade, not forgetting that the last 3 World Finals of the 70's were won by Mauger/Olsen/Mauger, the crown princes; [Tommy Jansson remembered], Mike Lee and Bruce Penhall were polished and ready to pounce. Which is exactly what they did.

The 80's began with all sorts of excitement and promise...that ended in disaster. Wembley was lost, as twice World Champion, Penhall quit, the Norden fiasco, the Moran brothers, the Lee debacle, Billy Sanders, Kenny Carter, the Danish domination that was only ended by the Gundersen horror crash in '89.

As for Penhall's part, I will never forgive him for what he did. Which shows what a selfish sod I am.

I can only ask for people to think back to 1972. If Ivan Mauger had have quit after winning the World Final at Wembley. Imagine the rest of the decade without Mauger. Well, it would have sailed on. Yes and so did the 80's. But without its Number One super-hero, it was never quite the same, somehow.

The same thing happened to the 90's when Jan O Pedersen's career ended in '92 with injury. Not forgetting Per Jonsson two years later. But Penhall! I know he had to do what he did. Anyone who cannot see it just has to listen to the song, "It never rains in California" by Albert Hammond, I think. That song puts into words just why Bruce had to accept the offer he could not refuse!! Speedway's Golden Eagle became Speedway's lame duck!

For me, and many others, Speedway could never be and was never the same again. That's how big Bruce Penhall was and its that way I choose to remember his oh so glorious , 'Superstar' career.

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This article was first published on 4th June 2009